Changing number list number style/glyph?

[sishamIAGD]

Hi all,

Hope you can help me with a little issue I have?

I am using a font that has a few different style numbers in the Glyph pannel and I want to be able to use one of them specifically when I create number lists.

The blue highlighted '4' is the default style but I want to force the '4' highlighted in red. Is this possible?

I am wondering if it will need to be done using GREP but not 100% sure on how to do this.

Any advice or step by step ways to do this would be much appreciated.

Thanks! 👍

[Derek Cross]

Not all fonts offer old style and lining (and proportional and tabular) numbering, but for those that do you can set the choice in Paragraph styles.

[sishamIAGD]

Hi Derek,

I have already tried those options and they don't carry that style over 😥 Is there any other way of doing this or is that it..?

Thansk, Sam

[Barb Binder]

Set this up by nesting a character style in the list paragraph style.

If the font offers the second figure style that you are showing us—and I assume it does because you are showing us—create a character style to change the figure style. For example:

Then assign the character style to the List paragraph style. 

~Barb 

[sishamIAGD]

Thanks for the reply @Barb Binder but this doesn't work either 😥 must be an issue with the font I guess. The font in question is Gellix (https://displaay.net/typeface/gellix/)

[Barb Binder]

Don't give up yet. The link you posted shows "The desktop version is delivered in OTF format." so if the alternates are there, you can access them the way I mentioned, above. 

Try this:

1. Type a number in a text frame.
2. Select it, and point to the blue bar underneath. Do at least two options appear?
3. If so, click the triangle to open the Glyphs panel:
   
4. Hover over the number style you want and tell us what it says on line three (above the name).

~Barb 

[sishamIAGD]

Oh ok, this is what I get...?

Many thanks

[Barb Binder]

I'm getting nowhere with this—I'm sorry. I downloaded the trial version of the font and I can't make heads or tails out of it. I think the next step is to contact the font vendor—I suspect they can give you a hand.

~Barb 

[sishamIAGD]

Ok thank you @Barb Binder for trying.

All the best, Sam

[Scott Falkner]

The alternate 4 might be part of an alternate character set in the font, accesses through OpenType features. Test this by typing a 4 then exploring all the OpenType features in the Character panel. Look in OpenType > Stylistic Sets > Set 1, Set 2, etc. If you can get the right glyph to appear without using the Glyph panel then you have found a way to access it using formatting. Use that to create a Character Style to format the number in the Bullets and Numbering panel. If you hover over the glyph in the Glyphs panel you might get a clue as to what OpenType options to use.

We can explore this option with you if you tell us what font you are using.

[Barb Binder]

FWIW, @Scott Falkner, I read up on the font and it does support stylistic sets. Again, I fell short figuring it out—looking forward to seeing what you can come up with. 

https://displaay.net/typeface/gellix/

~Barb 

[sishamIAGD]

Thanks Scott. I have indeed gone through all those options previously and none of them carry the one I need. I will update you if I get anywhere with this. Thanks.

[sishamIAGD]

If you check here Scott you can see the stylistic sets and none of them carry that '4'. 😥

https://displaay.net/typeface/gellix/#test

[Barb Binder]

Always happy to help, Sam. This request is within the feature set of InDesign, so it should be doable. If you figure this out, please swing back and let us know what the answer is. I'm sure it will help somebody else down the road. 

~Barb

[sishamIAGD]

Thanks guys,  I have had to bench this for now due to other work commitments but I will of cause report back when I get a chance to look into further. Thanks.

[sishamIAGD]

Update on this issue...

I decided to email Displaay (font creator) about this issue and you will be happy (not!) to know that the response I recieved was....

'Dont know'

THAT WAS IT, nothing else offered 🤷‍

[Barb Binder]

☹️